


Luck

by GlitchTheRoboticShadow



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirates, M/M, Nonbinary mermaids, Prince!Will, pirate!Nico, prompt, solangelo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-26
Updated: 2017-03-26
Packaged: 2018-10-10 23:59:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10450455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlitchTheRoboticShadow/pseuds/GlitchTheRoboticShadow
Summary: Will stows away on one of the first ships he sees docked in the harbor. This leads to: fights, injuries, romance, mermaids, and a whole host of other things Will simply didn't ask for. But he finds himself loving it anyway.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: This story is %100 bullshitted. The land is not real, pirates were not actually like this, and my knowledge on bullet wounds and abdominal wounds is about as limited as they come. Please do not believe for even a second that I am not just shitting my way through this. Thank you.

“So, you’re finally awake.” Nico walked down the ship’s steps, a lit lantern swaying in his hands, illuminating the face of a blond man in a holding cell. “You were asleep for quite some time.”

The man scoffed, resting easily against the wall. “I don’t think it’s called sleeping when someone hits you over the head with the butt of their sword.”

“You’ve got quite a mouth for someone trapped behind bars, on a pirate ship no less.” Nico hung the light on a hook, resting his hand casually on his sword. He thought it a subtle display of intimidation.

“You won’t hurt me.” The man said confidently, pulling his legs up to settle his arms on. An annoyingly sure smile split his face as he stared Nico down, the tilt of his head almost playful. This guy clearly didn’t deal with pirates often and his parents did a piss-poor job of telling him to mind his manners on someone else’s boat.

“You don’t know what I’ll do. You’re just a stowaway; you don’t know anything about the habits of pirates.” Nico warned; thumb rubbing the hilt of his sword.

“Well, I don’t think it’s commonplace for pirates to keep stowaways instead of throwing them overboard, so you must be one terrible pirate.”

“Having morals doesn’t mean I’m bad at what I do.” Nico defended, his voice almost slipping into something more hostile, like it tended to do when he perceived a challenge in someone’s words.

“I’m pretty sure being _immoral_ is part of the job description there, Captain.”

Nico chuckled dryly, “As fun as it is seeing you try to throw me off kilter, it’s not why I came down here.”

“Please,” the man said, opening his arms, “enlighten me.”

Nico rolled his eyes. The man in his cell clearly had an abundance of sarcasm that he’d been waiting however long he’d been stowed away to release, but there wasn’t anything actually biting in his tone. In fact, the smile on his face was becoming quite aggravating.

“Why were you on my ship?” Nico asked, never removing his eyes from the prisoner.

The blond shrugged, almost nonchalantly, as if he were having tea with a friend and was asked an unimportant question that he didn’t care much to answer. “Your ship was docked. I was there. What can I say, it was fate.”

Nico settled him with a withering glare.

“I wanted to get off that chunk of land, okay? I hopped on the first ship I could find, which just so _happened_ to be yours.” The first signs of irritation were finally surfacing on his face. Nico probably shouldn’t have enjoyed that as much as he did.

“You’ve got to be some kind of fool to stowaway on a pirate ship.” Nico leaned against the wall just outside the cell bars.

“Considering I’m not dead, I’d say I picked the right one.” The man stood, walking up to the bars at a stroll, almost leisurely. “I’ve gotta say that I think your ship’s name isn’t very original, but I’ll cut you some slack since it’s a family name, Di Angelo.”

“Sorry my creativity didn’t meet your standards.” Nico deadpanned. There was a moment of silence before anyone spoke.

“Who’s Maria? If you don’t mind my asking.”  The prisoner looked hesitant for the first time since the beginning of their conversation, his fingers picking at the old metal of the cell.

“Weeks on this ship and you couldn’t figure that out? For all your cockiness, you’re not very perceptive.” Nico avoided the question. Why would he tell this complete stranger the origin of Maria Di Angelo? But then again, if Nico didn’t want inquiries on the matter, he probably shouldn’t have named his ship that.

“It’s not a very popular subject among your crew.”

“It’s not a popular subject now either.” Nico said, pushing off the wall, grabbing the lantern. “Before I go upstairs, tell me your name.”

The man smirked, crossing his arms. “Why do you want to know? Plan on keeping me?”

Nico resisted the urge to splutter, straightening his back instead, making a step for the stairs. “While I do enjoy referring to you as Bubble Butt to the crew, I think it’d be more professional for me to learn your real name.”

Even in the darkened room Nico could make out the blush creeping over the blond’s face.

“It’s Will.” The man answered, a new pitch to his voice.

“Well, Will,” Nico said, halfway up the stairs, “you’re getting off at the next stop. Maybe you should find a better hiding spot next time.”

* * *

 

The boat was shaking.

Will had thought he was imagining it as he groggily took in his surroundings after an unintentional nap that could have been anywhere between an hour and eight hours long. But when he was aggressively thrown across his cell, he knew that either the boat was shaking or there was a particularly grouchy ghost accompanying him in his prison that didn’t much like blonds.

His gut told him it was the former.

Unfortunately, since it _wasn’t_ an entity from another plane of existence, he was stuck with the reality that there was very obviously something wrong with the ship. And seeing as he was trapped behind some pretty sturdy metal bars, he was in no position to jump overboard in case of an emergency.

He let that sink in as he clutched the single wooden bench attached to the back wall with all his might as the boat swayed heavily to the right. Even with his iron grip he found himself tumbling to the side, almost hitting his head but narrowly catching himself with his hands.

He managed to push himself into a stand, stumbling over to the bars, grasping them as he yelled out into the darkness. “What the hell is going on?!”

There was no answer, but he could barely make out the sound of distant yelling, another thrum of vibrations coursing through the ship as it tilted to the left. Will managed to hold on this time, once again yelling in a feeble attempt to catch someone’s attention.

He knew this had to be some kind of attack. Or a storm. He didn’t much care which it was, at the moment it seemed either would be his demise. He was going to die in a goddamn cell, no one to collect his corpse.

He never should have gotten on this godforsaken ship.

It felt like an eternity later, with much turbulence, before anyone came down to his cell. The hatch above the stairs creaked open, followed by a flurry of steps and huffs of breath. A young woman came rushing into view, a lantern swaying in one hand as she held up a key in the other. Her face was wrought with worry and panic.

“You- you’re a doctor?” She asked, inching toward him. Upon closer inspection he could see her hands shaking, wet trails formed over her cheeks.

“Uh, yes, I am.” He answered hesitantly, stepping away from the bars.

“Good.” She surged forward, fumbling with the cell lock as she tried to steady her breathing with long exhales.

As soon as it was open she tossed the bag she had strapped over her shoulder at him. It was his, from before he was discovered stowed away with the barrels of ale and sacks of flour. He caught it and hastily pulled it over his shoulder.

“All of your supplies are in there,” she said, quickly guiding him up the stairs and through the hatch, “the rest are in the medical bay.”

“What’s going on? What happened?” He asked, struggling to keep up with her.

She barely glanced back as she responded, “I’ll explain later. Right now you need to-“

She was interrupted by the abrupt presence of a frazzled looking boy. Elfish in both stature and face, curly brown hair slick with sweat, bruises and scrapes covering his hands and arms. He was practically trembling as he kept in step with them.

“Hazel,” he said urgently, pulling her attention to him. “There’s still water coming in, I-I don’t know what to do. I don’t have the right tools and-“

“Fix it, Valdez.” Her tone was almost sharp but her panic overtook it somewhere in the middle.

“But it’s- I can’t- How-“ The boy stuttered, clearly unable to cope with whatever predicament they were currently in. Will almost felt bad for him.

“Leo,” she said, stopping and grabbing the boy’s shoulders, steadying him. “Get it done.”

Leo set his jaw and gave one firm nod before racing off in the opposite direction. Will could still hear orders being given out somewhere above deck, footsteps thudding over his head. Based on the crew’s reaction, Will would hazard a guess that it’d been an attack, not a storm.

Hazel continued to pull him forward by the arm before practically kicking a door open to reveal a small medical area with two well-made cots and a large wooden counter filled with medicines and bandages and other things of the like.

On the cot closest to the door lay the captain, his face pale compared to the olive skin Will remembered from his earlier visit. His head was thrown to the side, his eyes barely open as a blood soaked hand twitched over a large red wound on his abdomen.

“Help him,” Hazel urged. “You save him, you get your freedom.”

Will immediately dropped down to the bedside, reaching over Nico –he’d picked up the guy’s name over the course of his stowaway- gently removing his hand from the injury. Nico winced, inhaling a sharp breath as he let his arm be moved to his side.

It didn’t look too good, but Will knew he could save him. He’d helped men in worse positions than this.

He ripped Nico’s tunic to get a better look. It was a gunshot, the bullet still lodged in his torso. Will pulled out a long, thin knife, along with a thick strip of cloth.

He shoved the fabric into Nico’s mouth, “Bite down on this.”

Nico gave him a weak affirmative nod and Will began digging the bullet out of his flesh, Nico’s entire body tensing under the pain. He slowly pushed it upward until he could grab it with his fingers, tossing it aside.

Will pulled the blanket up that was folded at the end of the bed, mopping up the blood that had pooled over Nico’s stomach, before grabbing a small bottle of alcohol, quickly yanking the cork out with his teeth and pouring the contents over the wound.

“It’s not that bad.” He reassured, sparing Hazel a comforting look, though she didn’t seem to take much comfort from it.

The door opened, momentarily distracting Will as the same boy from earlier burst in, his body still buzzing but some of his nervous energy had seemed to have dissipated. His eyes darted to the cot where Nico was laying, his face still scrunched up from the stinging pain of the alcohol.

“We managed to fix some of the leaks, temporarily. We’re going to have to dock somewhere to get more supplies.” Leo’s hand kept picking at the side of his pants as he talked, his gaze moving between Hazel and Nico.

“What are we close to?” Hazel asked, looking pained as she tore her eyes away from her brother.

“Um, Reyna’s settlement isn’t far, we could go there.” Leo suggested.

Hazel nodded, “Good, get us there.”

* * *

 

Will stood on the deck of the ship with Hazel, his arms folded over his chest as he watched the rocky shore come into view. The beach stretched far on either side but its length was short, cut off abruptly by a stone wall with barely visible steps leading up onto a grassy hill on which a blurry figure stood.

“I’ve heard rumors of this Arellano sister.” Will said, breaking through the silence.

Hazel never took her eyes away from the approaching island, her hand idly fiddling with the hem of her shirt. “Everyone has.”

“Well,” Will hesitated, unsure how stable the ground was between him and Hazel before deciding to trudge on. “Are they true?”

The corner of her mouth twitched upward, as if she found amusement in Will’s blatant discomfort with getting assistance from an Arellano. “They could be, she wouldn’t tell us if they weren’t. She says rumors get out of hand, blown out of proportion, but she never denies that they’re true.”

Will realized that she wasn’t entertained by his anxiety surrounding the situation, but by some far off memory that he didn’t have access to.

Maybe it was best that he didn’t know just how ferocious Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano is, after all, he was stuck meeting her no matter the answer. Ignorance is bliss, as they always say.

“And you trust her?” He asked. He knew it was a redundant question, but he needed to hear it, to solidify the fact that they weren’t just sailing straight for imprisonment. He’d had enough of that already.

“With my life.” Hazel answered immediately. “With his.” She nodded vaguely toward the infirmary.

“Why?” Will couldn’t help but fill the silence, they were quickly approaching the island and his nerves were haywire, he needed to keep talking and functioning or he may have just doubled over in worry.

“My dad- well, _our_ dad wasn’t around much. I only had my mom and she passed when I was young. Nico found me, apparently he’d found some of the letters my mother sent to our father before he left. Anyway, we were alone for a while; my mom was gone and he didn’t want to be with his dad. He was…He was going through some things back then.

“And well, we stumbled across Reyna and she just took us in, gave us work and shelter and food. Eventually Nico bought this hunk of wood and I couldn’t just leave the only real family I had, so I sucked it up, ignored the seasickness, and joined his crew. Reyna was the big sister we needed. Still is if you ask me.”

“Wow,” Will couldn’t believe _that_ wasn’t one of the rumors floating around. Reyna must have worked hard not to have her merciless reputation ruined. Will was having a bit of a hard time grasping all of it. He could admit that he grew up privileged, but sometimes it struck him just how far detached from reality he actually was. “That makes my life sound like a dream.”

Hazel turned to him, soft brown eyes looking into his sympathetically. “You don’t stow away on a pirate ship if your life is a dream.”

Will was grateful that his response was snatched from the air by the docking of the ship; he didn’t really want to get into his past with the sister of the pirate who locked him in a prison cell. They got off the ship and made their way to the stonewall that bordered the beach.

Will could see Reyna clearly now and he found that she was just as menacing in person as she seemed in her tales. A thick long braid laid over her shoulder, her hands folded behind her back, incidentally puffing her chest out as sharp eyes watched them climb the stairs.

Her eyes met Will’s and he saw a spark ignite within her black irises. He felt the sudden urge to turn around and run straight into the sea, like Reyna was going to sink her claws into him and eat him whole. He swallowed those fears and mounted the last few steps, now standing directly in front of her.

Reyna’s face softened when Hazel joined Will’s side, her expression one of love and caring. “You look worrisome.”

Hazel shook her head lightly, “We were attacked by those filthy ingrates who call themselves Liberators. The cowards didn’t even board, they just shot their guns and rusty canons at us.”

Reyna placed a calming hand on Hazel’s shoulder. It was clear the younger girl was getting worked up. Will had a feeling that this wasn’t their first encounter with these “Liberators”.

“We must be level-headed or I fear nothing productive will be accomplished.” Her hand slowly dropped from Hazel’s shoulder. Hazel sighed, pushing back some of her curls from her face as she breathed deeply. “Now, I’ve heard of this group you’re speaking of, they tried to trade supplies here, but you know my policies.”

“No trading with people you don’t know.” Hazel finished.

“Or trust. I turned them away and they didn’t seem all too thrilled with it, though I doubt even they would be dumb enough to try anything on me.” Reyna paused, peering back at the ship, “What are the damages?”

“The ship itself won’t make it far, we need to repair it, but that’s why I brought Leo on shore with us, he’ll explain all that to you. Most of the crew was unharmed except for-“

“Nico.” Reyna supplied, her hand already in the air, calling for someone to come over. “I should’ve known as soon as I spotted his absence from your side. I’ll have a doctor sent down to the ship.”

“There’s no need.” Will cut in, his nerves pleading for him to do otherwise. “I tended to him myself, he’s stable and just needs rest. Perhaps you could simply send a nurse to watch over him?”

Reyna looked at him skeptically, “I’m afraid I will not, in good mind, leave Nico’s life in the trust of a stranger, even if you _do_ know Hazel. I will send a doctor and a nurse down and they will check up on him. I hope this doesn’t offend you, for it is not meant to do so.”

“Of course.” Will nodded, biting back his irritation at Reyna’s insistence that she double check his work. He was a perfectly good doctor. He’d trained since he was small by the very hand of his father. He didn’t want to go around fanning his own fire but he damn well knew that he was capable of saving a man’s life, no matter how annoying said man might be.

Logically, he knew his qualms should be silenced by sheer reason, as he knew that Reyna did not know him and how could you put your trust and faith in someone whom you’ve never met before this day? But he couldn’t help the anger simmering in his gut, he wasn’t used to being questioned. At least on part of his medical skill.

A man trotted to Reyna’s side and she whispered something in his ear before he scampered off, his loose dressings flapping behind him. “What do you say we move this inside? The day is pleasant but I fear it may take a turn for the worse.”

Hazel nodded in agreement and they followed Reyna over the grassy hill to the foreboding wall of trees that lined the island. He kept in step with them even while the hairs on his neck were shouting for him to move away from the dark shadows of the trees.

His anxiety of the woods couldn’t be harbored long though, as once they broke the first thirty feet, they entered a clearing with a path leading them through the oaks, lanterns hanging to light their way once back under the brush.

Will soon found himself at a tall stone wall, a gate four times his height open to let them pass. As soon as the last person walked through the entrance, the gate was closed once again, making Will wonder how many other exits could be found here, in case he decided his stay should be cut short.

Reyna led them into a large building, seating them all at a table positioned directly in the middle of a spacious room, purple hangings decorating the walls.

“Leo,” Reyna moved her gaze to the curly haired man whose fingers kept tapping the polished wood of the table. “I’ve arranged for you to speak with some of my men, the best repairmen I have, you can lead them on what they should do to assist you. Julian will take you to them.”

A tall, lithe man led Leo out the door, leaving behind just Will, Reyna, and Hazel.

“I sense a storm is just over the horizon, you’re welcome to take refuge here for the night and continue your journeys at first light, depending on how the repairs are going.” Reyna offered as servants shuffled in from the hall, pouring wine into goblets.

“That’s very kind of you.” Hazel said, ignoring the alcohol in front of her.  Will didn’t think she seemed much of a drinker. “I hope it wouldn’t be too much to ask that Nico be moved from the ship for the night, I don’t trust the waves not to disrupt his sleep.”

“Nico needs to heal and one cannot do so without proper rest. He will stay in one of our finer bed chambers where a doctor will accompany him through the night.” Reyna said, taking a sip from her own cup.

“I would be happy to do so, ma’am. I think once your physician returns, you’ll find that my work is more than adequate, and quite honestly, I don’t much like the idea of spending the night with nothing but my own thoughts as company.” Will chimed in.

“Hazel,” Reyna fixed the pirate with an expectant look, “do you trust this man to care for you brother?”

Hazel stared at Will for a moment, a smile pulling at her lips. “I believe I do, he’s saved his life once. I don’t see why he’d let him die now.”

“Very well.” Reyna nodded firmly once, marking the end of the topic. “What are your plans from here?”

Hazel twisted the white cloth napkin in her hand as she answered to the center of the table rather than Reyna’s face. “Well, I have an idea, though I’m not sure how Nico will like it. These Liberators have been badgering us for months and I have a feeling they aren’t satisfied with us still sailing the seas. We need proper protection, weapons, and replacement canons for our shoddy ones.”

“You want to go to Hades?” Reyna asked, her eyebrow twitching.

“Yes.” Hazel answered, dropping the napkin onto the table and fortifying her confidence. “I know it’s not the most pleasant of options, and Nico will have a right fit about it but we must do what has to be done. The Underworld is the only-“

“Wait, you want to go to the Underworld?” Will echoed. The name Hades hadn’t triggered recognition even though it should have. But Will knew of the stories of the Underworld and its ruthless ruler. Barely anyone dared to venture that far south into such dangerous territory. The terrain alone could prove troublesome if you were traveling in the wrong time of year. “We can’t possibly- surely he wouldn’t provide any help-“

“He’s our father.” Hazel said calmly. Though she avoided Will’s gaze. “He’ll help us, and as much as we hate to admit it, he’s smart. If we have his assistance I’m sure those Liberators will have no chance against us. And his armory is without compare. To me it seems the only logical step forward.”

“Logical or not, we’ll never make it there.” Will said, finding the proposition absolutely ridiculous and anyone to believe it otherwise needed to reconsider, even if Hades was their father.

“Wait,” Hazel said, “I thought you were leaving.”

“If I’m not kept as a prisoner, I’d much prefer to stay.” Will shrugged, hiding his face behind his goblet. He supposed if he was staying he’d have to get used to people ordering him around. Even if they were ordering him to go on a suicide trip to the south.

“Why?” Hazel asked, clear confusion scrunching her face.

“I don’t have anywhere else to go.”

“I’m sorry,” Reyna cut in, “you were a prisoner?”

“It’s a long story.” Hazel supplied. Will was thankful she spoke because he wasn’t sure if he was currently capable. Reyna was an intimidating force and it seemed he kept pushing her trust further and further away.

* * *

It was dark out when Nico finally started to stir. He’d been asleep for many hours; the exhaustion from his injury taking its toll, along with the medicines Will had used to numb the pain. Will sat next to his bed on an old and somewhat uncomfortable wooden chair, unable to sleep though a mat had been laid out for him if he wished to rest.

Will was relieved when Nico opened his eyes. There was always a part of the blond that doubted his medical work and feared he’d done something wrong. But Nico looked much better now, his face was still gaunt and pale but he seemed to have his faculties about him and some color was returning to his cheeks.

“Where are we?” Nico asked, eyes swiveling around the room to take in his surroundings.

“Reyna’s settlement. We’ve stopped here to repair the ship. Leo already met with some men; apparently we may be stuck here up to three days.” Will explained, hoping the dread of the situation wasn’t seeping into his voice. He didn’t like being around people of power like Reyna. Not after where he’d run away from.

Nico groaned, pushing himself up to lean against the headboard. He ran an exhausted hand over his face and through his hair. “Those damn Liberators.”

Will shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Hazel was talking about them to Reyna. Who are they exactly?”

Nico sighed heavily, as if this had been a burden he’d faced for far too long. Will almost felt bad for him, but his sympathy was limited. What else did you expect when you were a pirate?

“They’re a group of people who’ve labeled themselves ‘Independent Liberators’ and the gist of it is that they hate pirates. They roam the waters, sinking ships and then shouting that they’re liberating the lands. They even go so far as to say they’re liberating the pirates they doom to drown at sea. ‘Freeing them from a life of sin’ were their exact words, I believe. They’re just terrible people working for a terrible cause. Not true liberators.”

“They sound like a bunch of assholes.” Will commented. He was surprised when Nico snorted, leaning his head back, his chin in the air.

“I think assholes is the perfect word for them. A bunch of pureblood nobles using their privilege to get away with shit, murdering us, while the people on shore cheer them on like it’s all some horrid form of bloody entertainment.”

“How do you know they’re of noble descent?” Will could feel droplets of sweat forming on the nape of his neck, sliding over his spine and sending shivers down his back. He wasn’t sure if the reason for his perspiration was his absolute disgust for the actions of these men, or because he could easily be slotted with the rest of them. Perhaps both.

Nico scoffed. “Who else could get away with such clear atrocities? My bet is they’re just a bunch of spoiled rich brats buying weapons with their parents’ money and storming the waters knowing they won’t be punished because the sea may not be their friend but land will always sway in their favor.”

“I don’t think it’s fair to assume they’re rich simply because they’re horrible people. Nor is it fair to assume all people of higher descent will use their privilege to undermine the law.” Will found himself defending. He immediately wished he’d kept his big mouth shut.

Nico gave him a sidelong look, filled with confusion. “I don’t assume they’re rich because they’re awful, I assume they’re rich because only those with money or power can be awful people and get away with it.”

“It’s a matter we can discuss further when you’re better rested.” Will wanted the subject to drop to the deepest depths of hell and never resurface; it was treading too close to his personal life and that was something he’d prefer not to think about more than he was forced to. “Now, why don’t I help you out of your dressings?”

“What?” Nico sounded shocked, pulling the blanket up his abdomen as his face bloomed into a shade of deep red.

Will rolled his eyes but couldn’t help but smile at this big bad pirate being coy at the mere suggestion of anything beyond professional. “I meant your bandages. We have to change them.”

“Right.” Nico cleared his throat, gingerly moving the blanket back down to just below his hips.

Will moved his chair closer to the bed, pulling up his leather bag to rest on his lap as he rifled through it for some clean bandages.

“I’m going to need you to lift your shirt.” Will said, nodding to the red tattered piece of cloth that had somehow earned itself the title of Shirt. They’d changed him into it after Will was done working on his injury.

Nico nodded, carefully grabbing its hem and moving it up his chest. The dressings underneath weren’t terrible, but they had to be changed nonetheless to avoid infection. Will took the bowl of water sitting on the nightstand and rinsed his hands in it, scrubbing them vigorously with the washcloth.

“These bandages could probably be kept on for another day or two but I’m afraid if anything happens to you, Reyna’ll have my neck for it.” Will laughed, gently undoing the bandages on Nico’s stomach. His hand brushed over the skin and he couldn’t help but note how cold it was. It made him want to bundle Nico up in a blanket.

“I’ll have to tell Reyna I can fight my own battles.” Nico muttered, a hint of annoyance in his tone but something also very fond. He could be quite the contradiction.

“I don’t know if I’d tell Reyna anything of the sort.” Will tossed the old dressings into the bin. He moistened a cloth and carefully cleaned away some of the muck that had gathered around Nico’s stitches before grabbing the roll of bandages and rewrapping them. He tied them off and Nico let his shirt drop back over his stomach.

“Do you want a new one?” Will asked, standing up from his chair to make his way over to the bag resting on a reading chair by the window.

“A new what?” Nico asked, looking around like he wasn’t sure if he was hallucinating and simply couldn’t see whatever it was he was supposed to replace.

“A new shirt, genius. We packed a few from the ship. Figured we were taking enough of Reyna’s supplies, no need to steal her clothes, too.” Will shook his head with a smile, pulling out a blue shirt that quite matched the one Nico was currently adorning. Nico nodded in understanding, wincing as he tried to pull the red shirt over his head, his arms tugging on the stitches. “Here, let me.”

Will walked over and tentatively slipped one of Nico’s arms through the shirt, then the other, before pulling it over his head. He tried terribly hard not to stare at his bare chest, skin pale from blood loss. It was almost creepy, but more than anything it made Will want to go get Nico some food from the kitchens. No doubt if the captain tried to stand now he’d find himself spinning directly into the floor.

“You know, you’re really lucky.” Will said as he pulled the blue shirt over Nico’s head.

“And how’s that?” Nico scoffed, looking at Will like he’d gone loopy.

“You were shot in the abdomen by a rifle. It could’ve hit a vital organ and you’d be dead. Stomach wounds are easily infected, but here you are, hours and hours after the attack, alive.” Will explained, gently guiding the shirt over Nico’s torso before letting it fall into place.

“Luck would’ve been not being attacked in the first place.” Nico said dryly, not looking at Will but the empty space above his legs.

“Well, if that’s what you consider luck, you should be down on your knees thanking the heavens for all the hundreds of ships out there that _haven’t_ attacked you. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, di Angelo.”

“The truth is,” Nico said, finally meeting Will’s eyes, something intense lingering in the brown irises, “it was a gift and perhaps it was lucky, but if you hadn’t been there, I’d be dead. And for that I am certainly thankful, even if you were a pain in the ass before that.”

Will laughed, smiling broadly down at Nico. “Well, that’s a bastard of a praise if I ever heard one but I’ll take it.”

“You should. Now get out and let me rest.” Nico said, shifting to lie down, pulling the covers up to his chin, the sight was reminiscent of a young child on a wintery night. It was comforting.

“Sorry, Captain, I can’t do that. Reyna left me in charge of keeping an eye on you and trust me, she scares me a lot more than you ever will, so the intimidation thing won’t work, especially while you’re snuggled under a blanket.”

Nico seemed taken aback by that, moving from his side onto his back. “I don’t think that’s wise. You should be very scared of me, everyone else is.”

“Your crew isn’t.” Will pointed out, remembering the worry they all held for their captain’s safety and health. Will knew his father was probably just as worried, but Will wondered if it was for the same reasons.

“My crew knows me; they know I’ll protect my own.”

“After two weeks stowed away on your ship, I know you a great deal more than you may think.” Will said, taking his seat in the wooden chair again.

Nico’s cheeks grew red once more, his face just slightly turning away from Will. “And what exactly is it you know?”

“Well,” Will chuckled, “I know you sneak down into storage and eat some of the leftover bread and then blame it on rats.”

Nico spluttered incoherently, denials getting twisted together. “I never- I do _not_ do that.”

“Hazel knows as well,” Will smiled deviously, “I heard her and Leo talking about it while taking stock.”

Nico huffed, tossing the blanket off of himself and to the side. “Well, all this talk of food has made me hungry. So, I’m going down to the kitchens to grab something to eat and I desperately hope that you aren’t here when I get back.”

Nico took one step away from the bed and swayed dangerously, Will helped steady him, guiding him back into bed. “We only gave you a little juice while you were out and you lost quite a sum of blood, you’ll be lightheaded for a spree. But _I’ll_ go get you some food.”

Before Nico could object, Will was out the door. The problem was, he wasn’t entirely sure where the kitchens were. Probably somewhere down below? By the servants’ quarters? Yes, that seemed right. But again, he didn’t know where those were either.

“Will,” Reyna surprised him, the hand she had on his shoulder flinched away, amusement playing on her face. “I’m sorry to have startled you.”

Will sighed in relief, combing a hand through his hair. “Nico is awake now. I’m assuming that’s why you’re here.”

Reyna nodded, providing Will with a tight smile that was very foreboding. “Yes, I’ve come to see Nico, but I’m rather glad to see you separated from him for a moment. I need to talk to you privately.”

“Of course,” Will said nervously. Private talks were never of good nature, which meant Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano wanted to speak with him privately about a matter that would likely leave him wishing he’d never stowed away in the first place. Great. “But I was just heading down to the kitchens to fetch Nico some food, he’s rather malnourished.”

Reyna dismissed the thought with a wave of her hand. “I’ll send a servant up with some food for him, but I’m afraid what I must speak with you about is important.”

Reyna pulled Will into a room across the hall, locking the door behind them. Her somewhat friendly demeanor had vanished into something much colder and more threatening.

“Why are you with them?” She asked without prompting.

“Because I stowed away on their ship, I was a prisoner until they were attacked by the Liberators.” Will explained, his palms sweating profusely. He wiped them on his pants and he could see Reyna mentally taking note of the action.

“And why were you stowing away?” Reyna asked.

Will slowly moved back, sitting on the bed behind him. The room was small enough already but now it felt as if the walls were shrinking, ready to close in on him. “I didn’t like my home situation, thought it best to get out of there.”

“Listen,” Reyna said calmly, almost sympathetic. “I know who you are. I take it upon myself to know the faces of all royalty and potential threats to my land, for situations exactly like this one. You’re William Solace from the northern lands of Sol; your father has gone mad in his search for you. I must say, I can’t hold much respect for someone who would abandon their people and obligations to roam the seas aimlessly.”

“That’s because you’re a true leader...I’m not. Anyone can see that, even my own people.” Will said, hiding his surprise at the extent of her knowledge. He could tell lying wasn’t in the books on this one. “What was I to do for them? I’m not like my father; I don’t carry the sun on my shoulders so that the world may have light. I’m not fit for the position of king; I’d be better suited in war trenches aiding those injured, or even on a pirate ship.” He rubbed his hands harshly over his face, as if trying to scrub away his troubles. “I can do nothing for my people and they know this. I’m sure Austin is already being groomed to take my place, and I’m inclined to believe that’s for the better.”

“You say these things as if you were selfless in your act of running away. I leave other’s business to their kingdoms and councils, but if you’re to travel with my friends, I can’t let my opinions slide under the surface unnoticed. From what I’ve heard the king of Sol is honorable, if not arrogant in his ways. I hope some of his better qualities can be found in you. I won’t let your abandonment of your duties define who you are in my eyes, for I must believe there is more to someone than one action, but if anything happens to my friends because of your secret, I cannot say my temper will be contained. ”

As terrified as Will was at the prospect of an infuriated Reyna on the hunt for him, he was too drowned in relief to let the threat linger in the forefront of his mind for long. “You mean to say you won’t tell Nico or Hazel or…the King?”

Reyna, despite her performance of intimidation just moments before, smiled. “Your secret is yours to keep, not mine to tell. And I’m afraid I do owe you at least my promise of discretion.”

“Owe me? How?” Will almost spluttered, just managing to keep his composure at the absurd notion of an Arellano being in debt to him.

“You saved Nico’s life and I will be grateful for that until my last breath.”     

* * *

The boat was rocking. Not forcefully as it had just three days past, but in a calming motion. Nico almost found himself lulling to the sensation, his usually lumpy and uncomfortable cot held a newfound pleasurable texture derived just from how much Nico missed sleeping in his own bed during his stay with Reyna.

The repairs on the ship had been taken care of in the quickest fashion possible. Between the handiwork of the renowned Leo Valdez and Reyna’s expertly trained craftsmen, the task took only the three days it originally required, much to Nico’s pleasure.

He loved his visits to see Reyna, but he much preferred them when he was in better health. And he didn’t fancy the idea of being stuck _anywhere_ for any amount of time.

Nico stacked a second pillow behind his back, sitting up to get a better look at his dusty old cabin, a place where he spent little time. He always found himself busy with other things to do besides sit around in a crowded room that probably inhabited more spiders than actual possessions.

But now he reveled in the solitude of the room. Reyna was probably the most emotionally controlled person he knew, but she still let her worry get the best of her. The first night there, Will had kept him company through the hours of dark, but after that, his visitors were mostly just unfamiliar faces and nurses that were a bit too handsy and a doctor that seemed to _want_ to find something wrong with Nico, if not just to prove himself superior to Will.

There was a soft knock on the door, something Nico would’ve associated with Hazel but it wasn’t her brown curls that popped up from behind the wooden door, but shaggy blond locks and keen blue eyes. Will stepped inside and gently closed the door, looking fidgety as he turned to face Nico.

“Sorry to disturb you so late into the evening, I just wanted to be sure you weren’t bothered by the constant movement of the boat. Uh, with your injury and all.” Nico chose to ignore how absolutely contrived that concern sounded, instead nodding for Will to pull up his desk chair to the bed.

Will obliged, awkwardly scraping it against the creaky floorboards until his knees were practically trapped between the chair and the bed’s edge. Nico smiled at the lack of space between them.

“I hope you didn’t wake yourself just to check on me.” Nico said, shifting to face Will.

Will’s hand shot up to his hair, as if worried it was unkempt and had led to Nico’s inquiring if he’d been sleeping before his visit. “I had dozed, I’ll admit. But I’m afraid sleeping in an actual ship cabin has me a little put off. Not quite used to it yet.”

“Well, we can lock you back up in a cell if you’d like.”

Will snorted, his cheeks immediately turning red at the action. He tried –and failed- to pass it off as a cough. Of course this only added to Nico’s amusement. “I think I’ll stick with the actual bed for now.”

“Good choice.” Silence drifted into their conversation, Nico quietly wondering why Will was still there. Even if his claim to worry over Nico was true, he’d already checked up on him, no need to stay any longer.  Not that Nico minded, particularly. If Will could be granted any compliment, it was that his face was not hard to look at. “Hazel told me you’ve decided to stay.”

“Oh, yes!” Will exclaimed, as if he’d forgotten it himself. He cleared his throat and apologized for his outburst, his eyes glancing around the room, looking as though he suspected someone to pop out of a cabinet and shush him. “While you were resting, I decided I should like to stay, that is, if I’m welcome.”

Nico pointedly decided to ignore the increased speed of his heartbeat and the way his face flushed from the scrutiny of Will’s gaze. God, he felt like a child again, crushing on someone with which he likely stood no chance. As was the way of the land. And the sea, he supposed. “Who am I to deny someone who’s saved my life?”

“I should hope you’d allow me to stay because you want me, not because you feel a sense of obligation.” Will’s voice held a tone of teasing but Nico could hear the actual question in his words.

“Of course I want you.” Nico paused, his eyes going wide. “Not like- I meant that- I just-“

Will laughed, his eyes sparkling as his hand clutched his stomach. “You’re not the most articulate of fellows I’ve ever met.”

Nico rolled his eyes, his embarrassment subsiding to make way for annoyance. “Nevermind, I want you off my ship. Go drown or something.”

This only spurred Will on further, his head thrown back in a fit of giggles at Nico’s behavior. He finally settled as he rubbed the water from his eyes, still smiling as he took in Nico’s thoroughly unamused expression. “Lighten up, Captain. You were just shot; you’ve faced worse than poor diction.”

Nico grabbed the pillow from behind his head and hit Will with it. Repeatedly. His stitches allowed him minimal leverage but his repetition made up for what he lacked in strength.

“Okay, okay, I surrender, jeez.” Will chuckled, stealing the pillow away from Nico’s –apparently dangerous- grasp. “I see why you’re such a feared pirate, now.”

Nico scoffed, his grin betraying him. “I have a second pillow, bubble butt, don’t make me use it.”

Will groaned, dropping the pillow and leaning his elbows on his knees as he buried his face in his hands, eyes peeking through his fingers. “Are you bringing that nickname back? I thought the deal was I told you my name and you drop the whole Bubble Butt thing.”

Nico smiled in a self-satisfied way that suited his face far too well for comfort. “That was before you started being annoying again.”

“Me?” Will spluttered with indignation. “ _You’re_ the one who hit me with a _pillow._ ”

“Exactly; a _pillow_. I could’ve hit you with something much harder. What was it you said?” Nico crossed his arms, looking up at the ceiling with false forgetfulness. “’I should be down on my knees thanking the heavens for all the ships that haven’t attacked me’? Well you, my friend, should be down on your knees thanking _me_ for not hitting you over the head with my boot.”

Will went silent, his ears turning a deep shade of red that almost made Nico fear he didn’t have blood anywhere else in his body. Nico wasn’t sure what had caused the abrupt silence from his companion but he was starting to worry that he’d said something wrong.

Will grabbed the pillow from the floor, lifting it up with a smirk. “Want this back?”

“Oh,” Nico breathed, reaching for the pillow, “yes, thank you.”

Only Will held it just out of his reach, the grin on his face widening and the blush in his ears spreading to his cheeks. “Allow me.”

Nico only nodded, leaning forward as Will pushed his chair back, standing to reach behind Nico and put the pillow back in place. Nico rested against it but Will didn’t move, his arms on either side of Nico’s head, his hands still clutching the cushion.

“What would you say,” Will whispered, his face just inches from Nico’s, his smile gone and replaced with a much more serious look, “if I told you that I really want to kiss you?”

Nico was trying his best not to pass out, his breathing shallow from nervous anticipation. Did he want to kiss Will? Well, certainly. How long had it been since he’d felt another man’s lips on his own? Another man’s hands on his skin? Fingers in his hair? Too long. Far, far too long and he couldn’t resist the temptation, not when a handsome stowaway who just so happened to save his life told him _he wanted to kiss him_. God, another minute without Will’s lips on his was a minute too long.

“I would say,” Nico moved just a millimeter closer, touching their noses as he stared directly into the blue eyes across from his, “what’s stopping you?”

Will’s mouth twitched into a delighted smirk as he closed the distance between them, his lips gently brushing against Nico’s. He was almost hesitant with his movements; as if he worried he’d break Nico if he were too harsh. But Nico wasn’t fragile, far from it. He slid his hands up Will’s sides until he was gripping his shoulders.

He deepened the kiss, parting his lips as a silent invitation. Will gladly took the offer, slipping his tongue into Nico’s mouth. Nico missed this, more than he could fathom. He hadn’t had much opportunity to be frivolous with his affairs in the past, especially with the circumstance of his sexuality, but now he was. He could hardly believe it; someone – a _boy_ \- flirted with him, chatted with him, _asked to kiss him_. That simply didn’t happen to Nico.

Except, it was happening, right now. He was being kissed and he was bloody enjoying it. He pulled Will closer, forcing the taller man to bend down at an uncomfortable angle, but Will just swung his legs onto the bed, straddling Nico’s waist. He didn’t put any weight on him, though, undoubtedly conscious of Nico’s still healing wound.

Will pulled away to start nipping at Nico’s jawline, working his way down to Nico’s neck, sucking with the clear intent of leaving a mark.

“You’re so beautiful.” Will muttered without emerging from his job on Nico’s neck.

“You’re not so bad yourself.” Nico chuckled, tilting his jaw back to give Will more room. “I can’t believe we’re doing this.”

“Why’s that?” Will asked, barely audible as he tugged the collar of Nico’s shirt down and began sucking and kissing Nico’s collarbone. Nico tried and failed to muffle the moan that rattled through him at the sensation. He didn’t even know he was sensitive there for god’s sake.

“Because,” Nico said, his voice coming out more ragged than he’d prefer, “because we barely know each other and-and we’re both, uh, you know…”

Will finally sat upright, making sure he rested against Nico’s legs instead of his torso. He grabbed the hem of Nico’s shirt, carefully pulling it up and above Nico’s head, immediately diving in to crash their mouths against each other again.

“We may not know each other well now, but I hope to one day.” Will panted between kisses, before stopping and resting his forehead against Nico’s. His hands wandered over Nico’s bare chest and arms, trying to feel every exposed bit of the pirate. “As for us both being men, well, what does that matter now? We’re at sea; the rules of the land can fuck off. Who cares what we do behind closed doors?”

“Many people care, Will.”

 “Well they don’t matter, not here and now.” Will sighed; staring into Nico’s eyes intently, sincerity in his gaze. “Look, I don’t know what’ll happen. Maybe we’ll be caught and thrown into prison. Maybe this won’t work out and we’ll go our separate ways. Hell, maybe I’ll die tomorrow! But right now I don’t care about maybes and what-ifs. I just want to be with you. I want to kiss you and touch you and hold you, and in this moment, that’s all I care about.”

“If this _is_ going to work out, we’re going to have to do something about your monologuing.” Nico teased, dragging Will into another kiss. He really did appreciate Will’s words, though. Maybe they would wake up and want nothing more to do with each other, but Nico would never regret this and that’s something he knew.

* * *

Nico woke up to Will’s head on his shoulder, his fingers idly tracing circles on Nico’s chest. They hadn’t done anything more than make out while half naked before falling asleep to the rocking of the boat, Nico was content with that, it was more sentimental than most of his past encounters and he wasn’t exactly sure how to approach it but he relished in the warm weight of Will next to him.

“You awake?” Will asked, shifting to look up at Nico. His hair was a mess, golden locks sticking up every which way; Nico was surprised to find that his own fingers were twisting in Will’s hair. It was soft, he liked it.

“Yeah.” Nico answered. He could feel Will smile against him. He wondered if Will could feel his heart thudding against his ribcage, it felt impossibly obvious to himself.

“Has…” Will paused, trailing off into an uncertain air of hesitance, his hand retreating back against his own skin. “Has Hazel talked to you about our next stop?”

Hazel had spoken to him about it. It hadn’t been their friendliest encounter, there was shouting –admittedly mostly on Nico’s part- and wild, wild hand gestures, along with quite a few foot stomps, but unsurprisingly, Hazel had won out in the end. It made sense. Her plan made sense.

Hades hadn’t become the most feared man south of the equator for no reason; he had a reputation, an army, a good mind, a great wife, and an armory to make grown men tremble. If Nico had to visit his father, he was damn well going to make use of that armory.

Nico didn’t exactly hate his father- hate was too strong a word. It was complicated, for many reasons. There was the whole abandoning him and his sister thing, the showing Nico’s sister favoritism thing, the leaving Hazel thing. Perhaps each issue on its own wasn’t much to overcome, but compounding them proved to make things harder. Besides, Nico just didn’t like the “Underworld” much. It reminded him of Bianca.

“Yeah, she did. I won’t pretend I was too peachy about the idea but I see its benefits. I’ll just leave the talking to Hazel.” Nico answered, moving his hand from Will’s hair to his back, rubbing lazily up and down his spine.

Will snorted, relaxing into Nico again at his not-infuriated words. “I’m sure Hazel will love that.”

Nico shrugged, the movement restricted from under Will, “She knew what she was getting into.”

“Wow, you’re such a loving brother.” Nico could practically hear the eye-roll in Will’s voice.

“There _is_ one good thing about going to see my dad, though.” Nico said, ignoring Will’s teasing.

“Mmm,” Will hummed, “what’s that?”

“There’s a place I want to show you; an island. It’s by where my father is settled, not many know of it and I hardly get to visit since it’s so close to his territory, but I think you’ll like it.” Nico said, trying not to gawk. He was just now noticing exactly how many freckles were scattered over Will’s cheeks and nose, stray ones sprinkling his chin and forehead. They popped out in spectacular fashion, impossible to miss.

Nico wouldn’t usually offer to take someone he barely knew to this private island, it was somewhere he treasured, both for its solitude and the wonders it held. Sharing that was a hard thing to do, in fact, he was quite sure only four other people knew of this place. All of whom he trusted more than even himself. If they had been unscrupulous characters, the island likely would not have been a sanctuary anymore, for its whereabouts and riches would have lured many men to its shores.

 But of course, Nico wasn’t the first to discover this island; in fact, it was shown to him by a dear friend, who had revealed it to only two others. And then Nico had shown it to Hazel, and that had been all. They were the only people that knew of it.

And now, inexplicably, Nico wanted to show _Will_ this island. He wasn’t sure what brought on the urge, after all, he wasn’t one often inclined to divulge personal places of peace to those of which he’d known for only days, but he felt he could trust Will. Perhaps this was a completely misguided trust; maybe he’d scurry along to a tavern and spill the location for a hefty bag of gold and a share of the profits. But as Nico stared into the blue eyes watching him intently, something told him that wasn’t in his nature.

Will had been well dressed when he was discovered below deck, his clothes actually gave the impression he was of higher class, the few supplies in his bag were top grade, and well? He just acted a bit of a shit. If Nico had to hazard a guess, he’d say Will was from a well off family, or perhaps earned his living himself through his medical work.

Nico didn’t believe a man willing to leave his wealth behind for a life at sea –as a pirate no less- would be quick to stab someone in the back for money. Then again, this could all be Nico projecting his wants onto reality.

“An island?” Will questioned, raising his eyebrows in amusement. “Don’t tell me you’re going to pull a Theseus on me and dump me off on an island like Ariadne.”

“This isn’t a Greek tragedy.” Nico rolled his eyes, pushing Will off him to emphasize his point. Will only laughed, his face hidden as he turned to the wall. “Or at least it isn’t yet but I can’t make any promises if you keep being a little shit.”

“Did you just call me a little shit?” Will feigned a gasp of horror, whipping around to face Nico. He pressed as close as he could to him without physically being on top of him like he was before. He started kissing just below Nico’s jaw, sucking on the soft skin.

“Okay, maybe you’re not that bad.” A low chuckle rumbled through Nico’s chest as he tilted his head to the right to give Will better access. When Will moved to Nico’s earlobe and pointedly nipped at it, Nico’s breath hitched, his hand flying up to grasp Will’s side. “Better than not bad. Good, actually. _Really_ good.”

“Nico?” Hazel’s voice rang into the room along with three gentle knocks on the door. She had a tendency to do this; check up on him. It was sweet, really, but right now it was proving to be more of an inconvenience. “Can I come in?”

“Uh, no!” Nico called, his voice cracking from urgency. God, his door wasn’t even bolted, was it? This was what he got for indulging in late night endeavors.

“Are you all right?” Hazel asked, her words brimmed with concern. He could practically see her in his mind’s eye, leaning up against the door, hand flat against the wood like she was in a play.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” Nico cleared his throat, steadying his voice. “I’m just, uh, naked.”

Will’s head plummeted into the crook of Nico’s neck, stifling the blond’s rigorous giggles at Nico’s lie. Nico shoved him off, almost laughing himself just from Will’s nose tickling his neck.

“Oh.” Nico could practically hear Hazel step back an inch from the door. “Well, I just wanted to let you know that there’s breakfast in the dining room. I’m on my way to fetch Will now so that he can check on you and then you can both come up to eat.”

“Wait!” Nico said, the words coming out too panicked. He cursed under his breath, sitting up. “Just let him sleep, he’s done enough for now. Besides, I’m feeling fine, I’ll get him if anything changes.”

There was a pause as Hazel considered his words, finally sighing so audibly that the people enjoying breakfast could probably hear it. “Okay, just don’t move around too much. You need rest.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Nico shook his head as he smiled warmly at his sister’s perturbation. He glanced to the side to find Will grinning up at him from the pillow, his cheek squished against the white cloth in an admittedly adorable way.

Hazel’s footsteps faded down the hall until they disappeared completely. Will sat up against the headboard next to Nico, their shoulders touching.

“Do they know about you?” Will asked, sliding his fingers down Nico’s arm and onto his hand, rubbing circles into Nico’s skin.

Nico huffed, thudding his head against the wall with a wince. “Hazel does, I told her. She’s…she’s okay with it, but I could probably tell her I’m half octopus and have four tentacles hidden in my pantaloons and she’d tell me there’s nothing wrong with me. And the others? I haven’t told them I’m gay but I think they suspect it. I’ve considered being more open about it, but there’s a difference between knowing and seeing it, you know? I don’t want to freak them out.”

“They’re loyal to you, Nico. It wouldn’t freak them out. And even if it did, then fuck them, that’s their problem.” Will interlaced their fingers, squeezing Nico’s hand reassuringly.

“Yeah, I know.” Nico trailed off, thoroughly unconvinced. He appreciated Will’s sentiment, and perhaps it was even true, but Nico _knew_ things would change the moment he officially came out to them and started sharing that part of his life.

He didn’t want his crew to look away when he held hands with a man. He didn’t want them to get all quiet when he talked about a hypothetical boyfriend. He didn’t want them to be uncomfortable getting drunk with him “because he might try something”. He didn’t want them secretly ashamed of him, hiding their discomposure and pretending things were all right. It was better for them all to feign obliviousness.

“I’m going to get dressed and head upstairs.” Nico said, carefully getting out of bed, dropping Will’s hand onto the covers. “Wait a few minutes, freshen up, and then come to breakfast.”

Nico turned his back to Will, trying to ignore the way his face fell, sparkling blue eyes and freckled cheeks going bleary and disappointed in an instant. Nico didn’t like that he caused that, but what was he supposed to do? Go up to his crew and announce that he was gay and he’d just made out with the doctor? All for someone he barely knew?

He didn’t like it; the way Will’s breathing was shallow and rapid behind him. He didn’t like that this was what he was doing, but he had to do it. At least for now. So, he changed his clothes, ran a hand through his hair, and left the room without so much as a glance backwards, because a glance might’ve been enough to change his mind.

* * *

Will sat in Nico’s bed, hand skimming over the sheets as he tried to steady himself. Will wasn’t sure what to make of the situation. He had kind of jumped into it the night before, taking a chance and rolling with it. The only problem was that he hadn’t really experienced romance before. When he was fourteen he may have flirted heavily with one of the cook’s daughters and when he was sixteen he had done _things_ with a boy that helped take care of the stables, but other than that? He had no clue.

Those little rendezvous were barely anything. They were fun and exciting and playful, but this? This was far more serious than that, if not only because Nico was captain of this ship. One way or another they were stuck with each other. And well, Will liked him. He was stubborn and brooding, but also funny and gentle and even considerate. Will wouldn’t say he falls hard and fast –though some would argue- but he definitely _was_ falling and the speed was hard to determine, which only served to frighten him further.

Maybe Will did want a relationship, a boyfriend to cuddle with and share meals with and do all those stupid little things his father and mother did when they were together. But what if Nico didn’t want those things? What if he just wanted someone to keep his bed warm and his mouth occupied? Or worse yet, what if he _did_ want all the things Will wanted, but wouldn’t allow himself to have them?

Whatever the case was for Nico, Will knew that the whole thing was making him nauseas. His mother had said impulsivity was man’s bane and Will was suddenly feeling the brunt of it. Perhaps he shouldn’t have kissed Nico, or flirted with him, or _shared a bed with him_. Heaven save him, what was he getting into?

Will forced himself out of Nico’s bed, coaxing his face into a neutral expression as he peered out the door to find no one in sight. He quickly shuffled down to his room, when a door opened across the hall. A crew member he recognized as Frank Zhang exited his room with an exhausted expression and a shirt buttoned incorrectly.

However disheveled he looked; he still managed to smile at Will, making his way over to the flustered blond. “Hey, I was just heading up to breakfast, you coming?”

“Oh, uh,” Will looked down at his slightly messy self and offered Frank what could only be described as a coy smile. “I think I’ll get changed first, got a bad enough rap for stowing away, don’t want them thinking I’m a slob too.”

Frank’s grin shrunk a little, his hand plopping down on Will’s shoulder in what was probably meant to be a comforting gesture. “Uh, no one thinks poorly of you, especially because- you know, since you saved Nico. As far as I –and um, I’m sure many others are concerned; you’ve earned your place on this boat. Besides, it seems you’ve even gotten Nico’s stamp of approval, which is- well, it’s saying something.”

Frank was a nice guy. Will had seen him a few times while he was stowed away and he’d met him after he saved Nico’s life. He was taller than Will, his chin meeting the top of Will’s head. He was a bit chubby with a round, young looking face and stocky body. Will could definitely see that he was standing before a strong man that in all likelihood could break Will in two, but yet all Will could think about was how Frank probably gave the best hugs.

Will was feeling quite a desperate need for a hug. But instead of leaning forward and wrapping his arms around the large man in front of him, he simply opened his cabin door and smiled. “Thanks, Frank, that means a lot. See you at breakfast, yeah?”

Frank nodded, looking a little concerned but one more smile from Will sent the pirate up the stairs. Will stumbled into his room and leaned back against the door, letting out a long sigh. He had a feeling this was going to be a long morning.

**Author's Note:**

> So I wrote this a little while ago and never published it because I thought it was too messy, but I'm actually quite fond of it for some reason and would like to continue based on if you guys like it or not. I'll write the second half and publish it if you guys want me to. Feedback is appreciated and thank you for reading! 
> 
> P.S. that wreck of a summary is what happens when you decide to publish something at five in the morning. Write responsibly, kids.


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